Freedoms of Speech: Anthropological Perspectives on Language, Ethics, and Power

This collection explores the diverse experiences and perspectives of freedom of speech across different cultures and times, challenging the traditional Western liberal view and offering alternative perspectives on the relationship between speech, freedom, and constraint. It covers a wide range of topics, from campus speech codes to defamation and press freedom, and includes unexpected subjects like therapy, gift-giving, and martyrdom. Through empirical analysis, the book sheds light on the complexities and nuances of freedom of speech and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of this fundamental human right.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 528 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2025
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Freedoms of Speech is a comprehensive exploration of the diverse ways in which freedom of speech is experienced, valued, and contested in practice, as well as its idealized representation and mediation through various linguistic, ethical, and material forms. Drawing from a wide range of geographical contexts, including Ireland, India, Palestine, West Papua, contemporary Java, early twentieth-century Britain, colonial Vietnam, and the contemporary United States, the book challenges the notion of a singular Western liberal tradition of freedom of speech and reveals its internal complexities. It examines a wide range of subjects, including campus speech codes, defamation, press freedom, therapy, gift-giving, and martyrdom, offering fresh perspectives and unique insights into these topics. By addressing a multitude of questions, the book contributes to a rich, interdisciplinary, and human understanding of the nature of freedom of speech.

Weight: 686g
Dimension: 151 x 230 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487548841